You should have stayed away
by falling-in-a7x
Summary: John Kramer is officially dead, leaving Mark Hoffman to control all aspects of the game. He made a mistake, though - he left behind evidence. He must get rid of the person who knows, but not without testing her will to live.


Mark Hoffman made one mistake that John Kramer never would - he left behind his own fingerprints. It was a careless mistake, but that mistake was going to cost him. His secret was definitely kept airtight, but that didn't stop a certain someone from following him day after day. Lauren Milligan, better known as the woman who knew the truth about Mark, became obsessed with the man she worked beside throughout each day. She'd sneak around his back, trying to get closer to the abandoned building where he played his games. She held no luck, or so she thought.

The blonde ran a hand through her hair, quietly huffing as she looked around the dark alley. He had led her there, but why? There was nothing there, nothing that could help her place him behind bars. Lauren stood up from her crouched position, planning on returning home to her fiance - that wasn't what Hoffman wanted. A hand was harshly placed over her mouth, quieting her screams. The mysterious attacker quickly plunged a needle into her neck, injecting her with the same fast acting drug that all the victims received.

* * *

It was unclear how much time had actually passed, but once Lauren woke up - her worst nightmare had finally come true. Her eyes frantically scanned the room, noticing the familiar sight of the rusted walls. She was now playing Jigsaw's game, there was nobody there to help her. Lauren looked down at her arms, noticing the small detonating collars around her wrists. She had seen them before on a previous case she investigated, she knew the harmful effects of them. The blonde leaned forward, pulled the pin from the timer - setting off the video. It wasn't Billy on the screen, it was Mark.

"Hello Lauren. You've known my secret for quite some time now, but you've chosen not to expose me. Why is that? Could it be that you wanted to believe it wasn't true? Could it be that you've always had some sort of feelings towards me? You tell me. Whatever the case may be, you still should have stayed away. You stuck your pretty little head where it didn't belong and now you must pay the price. You're wearing collars around your wrists that will explode if you do not complete your task or if you step out of range - I don't think I have to show you how fatal the results are. Oh, and Lauren, if you don't make it to the end, you'll never see your loved ones again. Have fun, darling."

The screen cut black, causing tears to build in Lauren's eyes. She quickly stood up from her chair, running over to the door. The second she pulled on the handle, she instantly regretted it. A clicking sound was heard from the far corner, forcing Lauren to face the direction it was coming from. A spotlight clicked on, exposing a small, airtight tube. "Spencer!" Lauren cried, running over to the tube. Water began to fill the tube, causing both of them to panic. "I'm going to get you out!" She cried, running a hand through her hair. What the hell was she supposed to do? "Lauren!" Spencer yelled, having no luck - the glass was soundproof.

He threw his arms forward, banging on the walls of the tube. As Lauren looked up, Spencer pointed to the nearest wall. There were multiple x-rays, showing where the key was. It was inside her. How come she didn't feel any type of pain before? Lauren ran over to the surgical tray, picking up the scalpel. The blonde took a deep breath as she slid up her shirt, exposing the previous stitched wound on her hip. Without hesitation, Lauren reopened her wound - wincing as the scalpel dug deep into her flesh. She used her free hand to quickly pull out the key from her wound, sighing in relief that it was actually there. She wouldn't doubt Mark to play a horrible trick on her.

Lauren ran back over to the tube, frantically trying to place the key inside the lock. Once she had it properly placed, she unlocked the tube and opened the door - letting the water rush out. Spencer quickly jumped out to the floor, wrapping his arms around the woman in front of him. He couldn't believe that she had done that to save him, but he was definitely thankful. "Lauren, you're bleeding." Spencer said, firmly placing his hand over Lauren's hip. "I know, but I can't stop going." She said, the sorrow in her voice. She was sure that she was going to die in this building - there was no way she was going to make it out alive; not with Mark Hoffman controlling the game.

Spencer rolled his eyes, pulling back to look at the blonde. "We have to get out of here!" He pleaded, looking deep into her green eyes. He wasn't going to lose he one he loved over some serial killer. Before Lauren could open her mouth, the collars around her wrists began beeping - it was time for her to move. "I have to go, babe. Find a way out, call the police, okay?" She said, slowing backing away. "Whatever happens, don't forget that I love you." She said, backing out the room. It killed her to leave, but there was no telling who else was a part of the game - she wasn't going to leave them to die. That wasn't who she was.


End file.
